


Memory

by bigblueboxat221b



Series: How Does Your Marriage Work? [8]
Category: Come From Away - Sankoff & Hein
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Diane POV, Don't copy to another site, F/M, In Gander, Kind Strangers, Misunderstandings, Post-Screech In (Come From Away)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 15:30:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20311804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigblueboxat221b/pseuds/bigblueboxat221b
Summary: It takes the kindness of a stranger to remind Diane what actually happened at the screech in - and why she should go and find Nick.





	Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is not RPF  
While Nick and Diane in the musical are based on real people, this story is set strictly in the fictional representation of them in the musical, ‘Come From Away’. I haven’t done any research into their personal lives, and anything further than what is canon in the musical is completely made up, with the exception of some geographical details. This is not intended to represent the real life couple in any way, their thoughts, attitudes or actions. It’s just my brain saying, ‘what if?’, as it does to every story that resonates with me.

“Good morning,” Nick’s voice sounded near her. “You were snoring.”

Diane sat up, her head spinning as she tried to figure out where she was. The pounding pain didn’t start for a second, and she gasped. “Oh, my head hurts!”

“You had a couple,” Nick said affectionately.

Diane grimaced then a thought occurred to her. “Did I kiss the fish?”

Nick froze then said something she didn’t catch. He shook his head, disappointment colouring his gaze as he added, “Yes. Yes you did.”

Diane smiled for a moment. “Good!” But something didn’t ring right in her head, and why was he disappointed? She frowned. “Wait…”

But Nick was gone, and she was left blinking there. A moment later, as she was still trying to get things straight in her head, someone sat beside her, handing her a glass of water and a couple of tablets.

“Aspirin,” the woman said, smiling. “You look a little worse for wear. I’m Sarah-Ann.”

“Apparently I had a few drinks last night,” Diane said, taking the tablets and water with a grateful smile. “Diane.”

“Yes,” Sarah-Ann said. “You enjoyed the screech in, I think.”

“Did I?” Diane asked her. She glanced around but couldn’t see Nick anywhere. “Tell me, did I kiss the fish?”

The woman’s eyebrows rose, and she smiled wider. “You don’t remember?”

“No,” Diane said. “I asked Nick, and he said I did, but…” she trailed off, unable to explain. She didn’t remember exactly, but it didn’t sit quite right still. There was something…not right about the almost-memory. It was maddeningly elusive.

“Nick?” Sarah-Ann said. “You mean the Englishman you’re not married to?”

“What?” Diane replied. “I mean, we’re not married, but…” she frowned.

“Oh boy,” Sarah-Ann muttered to herself. “Okay, here’s what happened. You volunteered both of you for a ceremony. The screech in. Do you remember that?”

“Yes,” Diane said, sounding unsure. The memory was tenuous, and she couldn’t grab the details. “There were hats, and something about alcohol.” She winced. The memory of swallowing that burning liquor was clear in her head and her throat.

“Yes,” Sarah-Ann said. “And Claude – he was the host – thought you and Nick were married.”

“We’re not,” Diane said. “People keep saying that, though.”

“Well,” Sarah-Ann said with a smirk, “they’ll be saying it even more now.”

“What?” Diane said, startled. “Why?”

“Well, Claude’s a bit of a prankster, and he offered to marry you. You were pretty enthusiastic.”

“I was?” Diane asked, feeling herself flush. “What about Nick?”

“Not so much,” Sarah-Ann said, “but he didn’t look horrified, either.”

“Right,” Diane whispered. “And what about the rest? There was a fish, wasn’t there? Did we kiss the fish?”

“Well, he kissed the fish,” Sarah-Ann told her, “But you wouldn’t.”

“I wouldn’t?” Diane said. She frowned. “But…” she had half a memory, swirling like mist in her brain. She kissed something? Or was it someone?

“You wouldn’t,” Sarah-Ann went on, “so Claude said you could either kiss the fish, or as he put it, ‘this Englishman you’re not married to’.”

“Oh no,” Diane whispered. “I kissed Nick?” Sarah-Ann nodded. “Oh.”

“You don’t remember?” Sarah-Ann asked carefully.

“No,” Diane said, her heart dropping at the admission. “We were drinking beer, and I think I might have had three maybe? And there was the screech…” she trailed off, sadness pulling at her heart. “Well, that’s that, then.”

“What?” Sarah-Ann said. “You’re kidding, right?”

“What?” Diane said, working hard not to start crying right there. Her headache had eased, but she still felt terrible, and this wasn’t helping. She’d obviously ruined things with Nick now.

“He kissed you back, you know,” Sarah-Ann said.

“He what?” Diane asked. She looked over, and Sarah-Ann was looking at her with an earnest expression on her face, nodding. “Really?”

“Really,” Sarah-Ann said. “I have no idea how much he’d had to drink, but he was pretty interested, if you ask me. I mean, he barely left your side all night.”

“How do you know that?” Diane asked, frowning.

Sarah-Ann shrugged. “He’s cute. I noticed him yesterday, but every time I see him, he’s with you. I thought I might be able to talk to him last night, but I’m telling you, he didn’t have eyes for anyone else.”

Diane felt her mouth drop open. “You are kidding me,” she said.

“I am not,” Sarah-Ann said, grinning. “You’d better go and find him.”

Diane looked around. She couldn’t see Nick anywhere. “Okay,” she said. Sarah-Ann went to leave, but Diane grabbed her hand. “Thank you.”

“No problem, duckie,” Sarah-Ann replied, winking at her.

Diane took a deep breath. She ran her tongue over her teeth and winced. She definitely needed to brush her teeth before she did anything else.

Once she’d spent some time in the bathroom, Diane felt much more presentable. She dropped her wet-bag at her cot and then stood, scanning the room once again, but she still couldn’t see Nick. Maybe he was in the cafeteria? A quick look around showed her he wasn’t there, either.

Frowning, she crossed her arms, wondering where to look. They’d wandered all over the town together, but nowhere in particular stood out to her as the place he might have gone.

“Looking for your Englishman?” a voice sounded beside her, and Diane jumped. It was the man from last night – what had Sarah-Ann called him?

“Good morning, Claude,” she said when the name came to her.

“How you feeling?” he asked with a broad grin.

“A little worse for wear,” she admitted, using Sarah-Ann’s words.

“Not surprised,” he said. “Well, it was worth it, you’re a Newfoundlander now.”

“Yes,” Diane said. “Um you, haven’t actually seen Nick, have you?”

“Your Englishman?” Claude repeated, still grinning.

Diane wanted to correct him, but she also wanted him to answer her, so she nodded and smiled. “Yes,” she said.

“Saw him headin’ out a few minutes ago,” Claude said. “Said he needed something for a hangover.”

“A hangover?” Diane repeated.

“Probably heading for Tim ‘ortons,” Claude told her.

“Okay,” Diane said. “Thank you.”

She hurried for the door, hoping Claude was right. If not, she had no idea where to begin. She’d have no choice but to wait for him to return, and she was too anxious about resolving all this to sit quietly and wait.

Diane was so intent on where she was going she didn’t notice the figure coming in as she was going out, and she ran right into them.

“Oh!” she said. “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine,” came Nick’s voice. “Nothing broken.”

“Oh!” Diane said, freezing. Nick didn’t appear to have recognised her until she’d spoken either, and now they were standing here in the doorway, just looking at each other. “I was coming out to look for you.”

Nick raised the bag in his hand, and Diane saw he had two large coffees in the other. “I was finding us some breakfast.”

“Really?” Diane said. “Thank you.”

They agreed to find somewhere inside, and Nick lead the way to a small side corridor they’d found the previous day. It didn’t lead anywhere, and someone had dragged out a couch at some point, so there was somewhere to sit. It was fortunately empty, and as they sat beside each other, Diane took a deep breath. Where to even start?

“Thank you for the coffee,” she said to him. It was exactly as she always ordered it. Had Nick paid that much attention?

“I didn’t think you were used to dealing with a hangover,” Nick said. “Coffee and sugar.” He passed her the bag, which turned out to contain a couple of honey crullers.

“I’m not,” Diane admitted. “I did have some help already, but this,” she held up her coffee, “is excellent.”

“Help?” Nick asked.

“Sarah-Ann,” Diane said. “She brought me water and aspirin.”

“An important step,” Nick agreed.

Diane waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. Perhaps this was where she took a risk. Started their conversation down the unknown path.

“She also filled in some things from last night I couldn’t quite remember,” Diane said. She could feel herself looking at her coffee, recognising the avoidance. She made herself look up, and seeing Nick’s eyes on her sent a shock through her. Carefully, Diane put her coffee down, reaching into the bag for a piece of cruller instead.

“Really,” Nick said with a careful interest.

“I don’t think I kissed the fish,” Diane blurted. She couldn’t play this game with Nick. It was too important, and she already felt nauseated. It was probably nerves, but she didn’t dare risk any more.

Nick looked startled, his body frozen for a moment. His eyes searched hers, and she let him, forcing herself not to shut herself away. She wanted him to see that she wasn’t upset by what had happened.

“What do you…do you remember the ceremony?” Nick asked carefully.

“Not all of it,” she said. “Sarah-Ann told me about the parts I didn’t remember.”

“Such as?”

“I kissed you,” Diane replied bluntly, knowing she was blushing. “She called you, ‘that Englishman you’re not married to’.”

“That’s what Claude said,” Nick murmured. He winced. “So it’s gossip, then.”

Diane frowned. “I don’t think so,” she said. “Sarah-Ann was there last night. So I think she just…was there.”

Nick nodded. He was playing with his own coffee cup, and with a glance at Diane, put it on the floor.

“Why did you tell me I kissed the fish?” Diane asked quietly.

“Is it important?” Nick asked after a long pause.

“Yes,” she said immediately. She was surprised he would ask. “Of course.”

“Why?” Nick asked.

“Why?” Diane repeated. She thought about it for a moment. “Because I didn’t,” she said. “And…I don’t know why you would tell me I did.”

Nick opened his mouth to protest, but he closed it without speaking. A moment passed, Diane’s heart thumping hard as she waited. “I didn’t…if you’d forgotten, I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position,” Nick said finally. “I don’t expect…well, you’d had a few beers, and if you didn’t remember…”

Diane nodded. “I wish I did remember,” she said. “I’ve never had a night like that,” she said. “Drinking in bars is not normally something I do.”

“I could see that,” Nick murmured. “I hope you don’t regret it.”

“No,” Diane said, a conversational opening appearing to her. She shifted sideways, facing Nick. “I don’t regret any of it.”

Nick looked at her, surprised again. “None of it?”

“No,” Diane said, her heart suddenly pounding hard. “Do you?”

“Do I regret the evening?” Nick asked.

“Yes,” Diane said, then on an impulse she blurted, “Sarah-Ann said you,” she paused, half-regretting having started the sentence, “kissed me back.”

Nick’s eyes were wide, but he nodded shakily. “I did,” he whispered.

“And do you…regret it?” Diane asked. It seemed like the most important question in the world. She thought a plane could probably land in the corridor with them and she’d not notice. Her eyes were locked on Nick’s, who were locked on hers. Holding onto each other. She was barely breathing as she waited for his reply.

“I don’t,” he whispered. “I couldn’t.”

Diane swallowed, and when something brushed against her hand, she jumped, looking down. It was Nick’s hand, reaching out for her, trembling hard. She turned her hand over, grabbing at his. They both gripped hard, and as she brought her eyes back up to meet Nick, something in her face must have been open because his expression changed and she saw determination flash in his eyes, and in half a second he’d flicked a glance to her mouth. And they were both surging in, meeting in the middle, free hands both reaching out, tangled fingers curling inwards as their mouths met in a kiss that felt like _finally._

The world coalesced into a single point; the two of them, mouths stroking, fingers clutching in fabric as fireworks burst and blew inside them. Diane’s mind was reeling, her body overrun with emotion as the closeness, the gentle care of Nick’s mouth on hers. How could she have ever forgotten this? It was beautiful and when it broke, she was breathless, her fist clutched so her trembling fingers wouldn’t give her away.

It took a moment for her to catch her breath, eyes still closed as she tried to remember every part of this moment. Nick had definitely kissed her, there was no denying it, but they hadn’t spoken about what any of this meant. This moment was perfect, though, and she didn’t want to burden it with the weight of expectation.

“Diane,” Nick whispered, and Diane opened her eyes. He was still close, and she belatedly realised his fingers were curled into her cardigan as tightly as hers were holding onto the collar of his shirt. Carefully she relaxed her fingers, smoothing them over the fabric, her hand lingering on the shape of his shoulder.

“Hi,” she said uncertainly. She tried for a smile, hoping it looked more confident than she felt.

“Hello,” he said, sounding so English she couldn’t help the smile on her face widening.

“I think I’ve ruined your collar,” Diane said. She had no idea why her mouth had decided that was important enough to say. More likely, it was completely unimportant. All the really important things were far too overwhelming to shape.

“It was entirely worth it,” Nick murmured.

Diane’s heart leapt, and she leaned in, pressing her lips to his again, soft and slow. When she pulled away, he remained, eyes closed as though he couldn’t believe it had happened.

“Nick?” she asked. His eyes opened, blue and clear and suddenly, beautifully _happy._

“I think I can safely say I have no regrets,” he told her. His hand eased out of the fabric of her cardigan, and when hesitant fingers caressed her face, Diane shivered.

“Me either,” she told him. They shared a smile, private and as intimate as could be said for this semi-public corridor.

“I thought we could go for a walk today,” Diane said.

“Of course you did,” Nick said, and the warmth she’d been hearing in his voice was suddenly more than warm – it was affectionate.

“I don’t know when we’re going to be heading back out of here,” Diane blurted, “but maybe we should talk about-”

Before she could complete her sentence, Nick leaned forward, a smile on his lips before he pressed them to hers, gently stopping her nervous words. When she’d relaxed, no longer trying to speak, he leaned back, and Diane opened her eyes to see him smiling at her.

“Let’s enjoy the time we have here,” he said. He looked down at their joined hands. “For what it’s worth, I already know I don’t want to let you go when we get back to the real world.”

Diane felt her heart swell with pleasure, warmth flooding through her body with his words. “Me either,” she said.

They sat for a few moments, just being together, adjusting to their new connection. Diane marvelled at how comfortable it was. Neither of them spoke, and it was only Nick’s fingers trailing over her hand that told her time was moving at all. She wondered idly what was happening in the rest of the world, but it didn’t matter. Her whole world was here, with Nick. Incredible to think she hadn’t even known him when their flight had boarded, only a few days ago. And now he was so important to her, she couldn’t imagine not having him close. They would have to work something out, but knowing he was thinking in that direction gave her a strength she didn’t think she had anymore. It wasn’t just her, falling hard and fast in these surreal circumstances.

“So,” Diane said eventually, “I’ve heard the Dover Fault is a nice walk. Perhaps…”

“Anywhere you like,” Nick told her.

As they collected their things, Diane smiled at him. This, she would always remember.

Even the parts she’d forgotten.


End file.
